'Hunger Games' fills midnight craving with $19.7M

Fans line up to see the midnight shows of "The Hunger Games," at the 34th Street Loews AMC Theatre, Thursday, March 22, 2012, in New York. The film, about children who are forced to compete in a live televised death match in the not-too-distant future, is based on the popular young adult book series by Suzanne Collins. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fans are eating up "The Hunger Games," which has opened strongly with $19.7 million domestically from overnight shows that started after midnight.

That's the seventh-best midnight total ever and puts the movie well on the way toward a blockbuster opening weekend.

The top six midnight draws come from two other teen-based franchises — three movies each from the "Harry Potter" and "Twilight" series.

Last year's "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" leads the list with $43.5 million from midnight shows.

The most recent three "Twilight" movies and the two previous "Harry Potter" flicks make up the rest of the top six with midnight grosses ranging from $22.2 million to $30.3 million.

"The Hunger Games" stars Jennifer Lawrence as a teen forced into a televised death match with other youths.